Lasting machines



S. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES June 5, 1956 Filed March v26, 195s 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN 2,748,403

LASTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 1953 14 ShetS-Sheet 2 By /zzls ttor/Zay June 5, 19,56 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 26, 1953 Inven tor June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 26, 1953 Inventar June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN 2,748,403

LASTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 1953 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 In v en tor ,Sid/ze Jflm 5y his wor/ley June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES 1'4 Sheets-Sheet 6 F'led March 26, 1953 June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet '7` Filed March 26, 1953 Inventor 'zd/zeg/J/z/z y/zz's Attorney Y June 5, 1956 y s. J. FINN 2,748,403

LAsTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 195s 14 sheets-sheen 8 June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet ,9

Filed March 26, 1953 S. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES v June 5, 1956 Filed March 26, 1955 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 wm i June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES Filed Maron 2e, 195s 1.4 Sheets-Sheet l1 Inventor ,Sid/7 @yJ/vzz y June s, 1956 s. J. FINN 2,748,403

LASTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 1953 14 Sheets-Sheet l2 Fig. 2l

June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LASTING MACHINES 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed March 26, 1953 In venior Sid/zeyJII/z -y Lgt'Col-ney June 5, 1956 s. J. FINN LAsTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 195s 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 Inventor .ww @N United States Patent O LASTIN G MACHINES Sidney J. Finn, Beverly, Mass., assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. Il., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 26, 1953, Serial No. 344,730

60 Claims. (Cl. 12-8.5)

This invention relates to lasting machines and particularly to a novel and improved machine for lasting the heel ends and shank portions of shoes. The machine herein illustrated is intended primarily for use in the lasting of the heel and shank portions of shoes the foreparts of which have previously been lasted, for example, in a machine of the type disclosed and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,703,420, granted March 8, 1955, in the name of the present applicant, and is especially constructed to adapt it for use on shoes having unlined`uppers, the lasting margin of the single layer upper being secured to the insole of the shoe by cement during the lasting operation. It will, of course, be understood that in various novel aspects the invention is not limited in utility to the lasting of shoes of this particular character or to embodiment in a machine of the exact mechanical construction herein illustrated.

With the purposes of this invention in View, the machine shown and described herein comprises a plurality of end wipers for wiping the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over and for pressing the lasting margin against the bottom of the insole around the curved heel end of the shoe and a plurality of side wipers for wiping the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over, and for pressing it against the bottom of the insole along the opposite sides of the shank portion of the shoe. The end Wipers, which are constrained against movement in a direction extending heightwise of the last, are mounted for ad vancing movements in converging paths substantially normal to the curved end of the shoe and include a plurality of main wipers and a plurality of auxiliary wipers each disposed between adjacent main wipers. The main wipers have complemental angularly disposed side faces on their inner, or operating ends which are brought into engagement when these wipers are fully advanced and these side faces on alternate main wipers are cut away to provide clearance spaces for the auxiliary wipers which are relatively narrow and of a width substantially equal to the spacing between the fully advanced main wipers. Hence, when the main and auxiliary end wipers have been fully advanced, their operating surfaces provide a continuous surface in pressing engagement with the lasting margin of the upper which extends around the curved end portion of the shoe. Preferably, and in the herein illustrated machine, the end wipers, and also the side wipers, are advanced by lluid-pressure-operated means, and the arrangement is such that the main wipers are lirst advanced and the side wipers are moved inwardly to lay the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over, and to press it against the end and shank portions of the bottom of the shoe and the auxiliary wipers are subsequently advanced to press those portions of the lasting margin which are located between adjacent main wipers against the bottom of the shoe. In this manner, any pleats or wrinkles which may have been formed in the lasting margin during the operation of the main end wipers are effectively removed by the auxiliary wipers.

The side wipers are located on the opposite sides of rice the shoe and are mounted for movement inwardly over the bottom of the shank portion of the shoe. In order that the side wipers may accommodate themselves to the heightwise curvature of the bottom of the shoe in the shank portion, certain of these wipers on each side of the shoe are yieldably supported for individual movement heightwise of the shoe. The other side wipers, which operate on that part of the shoe bottom immediately forward of the curved end portion, which is substantially flat in heightwise contour, are, like the end wipers, constrained against movement heightwise of the shoe. With the view of improving the action of the side wipers there is operatively associated with these Wipers on each side of the shoe a flexible member which is adapted to present a substantially continuous operating surface for wiping the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, which member is conformable to the longitudinal contour of the shoe bottom in the shank portion of the shoe.

During the operation of the end and side wipers, the shoe is mounted on a support which is operated by power means, herein illustrated as including a duid-pressureactuated piston, to hold the bottom of the shoe against a shoe rest thereby to locate the bottom of the shoe in a heightwise direction relatively to the path of movement of the wipers. Preferably, and in the machine herein shown, the power means for operating the shoe support is adapted, as by the control of the pressure uid acting on the piston, to hold the bottom of the shoe yieldingly against the shoe rest, during the operation of the wipers to wipe the lasting margin of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, and thereafter to exert a greater force tending to elevate the shoe to cause the wipers to press more firmly on the wiped-over lasting margin of the upper. In this manner, the wiping action of the wipers is facilitated, yet the lasting margin of the upper is effectively pressed against the bottom of the shoe to assure proper adherence of the lasting margin to the insole and to provide a smoothly lasted upper along the opposite sides of the shank portion and around the curved heel end of the shoe bottom.

, In order to provide a pull on the lasting margin of the upper tending to tension the upper heightwise of the last, the machine of this invention includes retarders which are adapted to cooperate with certain of the end and side wipers. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, these retarders each comprise a linger mounted for yielding arcuate movement inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom and upwardly away from the shoe bottom in response to pressure of the lasting margin of the upper applied Athereagainst by the inwardly moving cooperating wiper. More particularly, each retarder nger is pivoted for movement in the above manner against the resistance of a spring. The retarder fingers which cooperate with the end wipers, as well as those which cooperate with the side Wipers located adjacent to the heel wipers are pivotally mounted for movement in planes substantially parallel to the paths of movement of their cooperating wipers so that the resulting pull is directed upwardly and inwardly normal to the edge of the shoe bottom. However, the retarder lingers which cooperate with the side wipers that operate on the opposite sides of the shoe, adjacent to the ball portion, are preferably mounted for pivotal movement in planes Vwhich are at an angle tothe paths of movement of their cooperating wipers so that the pull applied to the lasting margin has a component of movement tending to tension the upper lengthwise toward the toe end of the last. Y Y

The aforementioned retarder fingers are shown as associated with the shoe rest which, in the illustrated machine, is mounted for manual movement to and from an operative position in which it is held by releasable latch means.

For thus moving the shoe rest an operating handle is provided and this same operating handle is adapted, by means of suitable operating mechanism, to effect movement of the several retarder fingers from inoperative positions in which their operating ends are displaced inwardly from the marginal edges of the shoe bottom and heightwise away from said shoe bottom outwardly and downwardly to positions in which their operative ends areposi'- tioned in contact with the shoe bottom adjacent to its marginal edge. When in their operative positions, the several retarder iingers are adapted to serve as members Vfor holding the marginal edge of the insole down against the last during the operation of the wipers. In order to facilitate such action of the retarder ngers and to accommodate variations in the contour of different lasts, certain of the retarderngers have a mem er slidably mounted thereon and means, such as a spring, are provided for yieldably urging these members toward the insole.

To assist in the shaping ofV the upper to the last and also to prevent displacement of the upper relatively to the last, during the wiping and tensioning actions of the wipers, the machine of this invention has a flexible band for embracing the heel end and opposite sides of the shank portion of the shoe. When'the shoe is presented to the machine on the shoe support, this band is closed somewhat loosely around the heel end of Vthe shoe by manually operable means to locate the heel end of the shoe laterally and in a lengthwise direction Vrelatively to the wipers of the machine, prior to the operation ofthe shoe support to elevate the shoe into engagement with the shoe rest. Thereafter, when the machine has been started, this band is pressed against the upper in different locations spaced heightwise of the last by power-actuated means'which are operable in predetermined time relation to the operation of the wipers. More particularly, the power-actuated means comprise uid-pressure-actuated pistons for pressing the band against the upper along the opposite sides of the shoe in locations spaced heightwise of the shoe from the bottom of the last, prior to the operation'of the wipers, and additional uid-pressilre-operated pistons for pressing the band against the upper along the opposite sides of the shoe in locations adjacent to the bottom of the shoe. Thus, duringthe action of the wipers to tension the upper heightwise of the last the upper is firmly held against displacement relativelyV to the last, by pressure of the band on the top portion of the upper, yet the upper is free to be wrapped snugly about the last adjacent to the bottom of the shoe. Subsequently, as the wipers complete their overlaying action, the upperis lshaped to the last by pressure of the band applied to the upper in locations adjacent to the bottom of the last.

These and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying `drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation and at an enlarged scale of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

n Fig. 3 Yis a plan View of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 4 is a View in vertical section, substantially on line IV--IV of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section, substantially on line V-V of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a portion of the machine shown at an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation and at an enlarged scale of anotherportion of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a View in side elevation of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an inverted plan view of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view in vertical section, substantially on line iX-lX of Fig. 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a part of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a View in vertical section, substantially on line X-X of Fig. 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a part of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation, with certain parts shown in vertical section substantially on line XI-XI of Fig. 5, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows, of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of a detail of construction;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4 but at a slightly enlarged scale and showing an additional portion of the machine in its operating position;

Fig. 14 is a view in front elevation of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 13 with certain parts shown in vertical section substantially on line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 15 and 16 are step views showing certain of the operating elements which appear in Fig. 14 in two different operating positions;

Figs. 17 and 18 are step views showing certain of the operating elements of the machine which appear in Fig. 3 in two different operating positions;

Fig. 19 is a View in side elevation of a portion of the machine illustrating a detail of construction;

Fig. 2O is a view in perspective and at an enlarged scale of a control valve operating mechanism associated with the machine;

Figs. 21, 22 and 23 are diagrammatic views of the iluid-pressure-operating and control system of the machine illustrating the several operating pistons and control valves in different positions assumed during an operating cycle of the machine; and

Figs. 24 and 25 are sectional diagrammatic views showing, respectively, one of several sequence valves and a pressure reducing valve used in the uid pressure operating and control system of the machine.

Referring to these drawings, the operating elements of the machine therein illustrated include a plurality of main end wipers 30, 3i), a plurality of auxiliary end wipers 32, 32, and a plurality of side wipers 34, 34, these wipers being arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Cooperating with certain of these wipers, in a manner which will be explained below, are a plurality of retarder fingers 36, 36; 38, 3S; and 4t), 4t), see Fig. 8. For locating the heel end of a shoe on a last in the machine and also for clamping the upper materials against the last, a heel band 42 is provided, see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 13. The shoe being lasted is supported on a shoe support, indicated generally by the reference character 44, and comprising a spindle 46 and toe rest 48, see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 13, and this shoe support is movable heightwise of a shoe thereon to ring the bottom of the shoe into clamping engagement with a shoe rest Si), Figs. 6-10, 13 and 14. These various operating and shoe-supporting elements are associated with a fabricated head assembly, indicated generally by the reference k'character 52, which is supported at a convenient operating height on the top of a hollow box-like frame construction 54 in which there are contained the several control valves and other component parts of the iiuid-pressure-operating system of the machine, see Fig. 1. The fabricated head 52 comprisesv a base plate 60 on which there is supported, by means of spacing bushings 62, 62, screws 63, 63, and clamping bolts 65, 65 an intermediate platform 64 and a cover plate 66, see Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 13. This base plate, in turn, is supported on the frame construction by means of spacing rods 68, 68, Figs. 1 and 2. Fitted between' the intermediate platform and cover plate is a U-shaped supporting member 70, Figs.' 2, 3, 4, 5, 13 and 14, this supporting member being held in 'place by certain of the clamping bolts 65, 65 which are threaded thereinto, as shown in Figs. 4 and 13.

The main end wipers 30, 3) are generally of elongated rectangular shape and are slidably mounted for advancing movements in converging paths by means of guideways 80, 80 formed in the upper side of the supporting member 70, Figs. 4, 13, 17 and 18, the depth of these guideways being exactly the same as the height of the wipers so that the wipers are also supported against the lower side of the cover plate 66. At their inner ends these wipers are provided with complemental angularly disposed side faces 82, 82 which are adapted to be brought into engagement when these Wipers are fully advanced, see Figs. 17 and 18, to positions kdetermined by stop shoulders 84 on these wipers, Fig. 4,"which comes into contact with the supporting member 70. The auxiliary end Wipers 32, 32 are similarly mounted for Vadvancing movements in converging paths by means of guideways 86, 86 formed in the supporting member 70, the auxiliary wipers being arranged between the main wipers, as will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 3, 17 and 18. Alternate main end wipers are undercut at their inner operating ends, as indicated at 88, 88 in Figs. 17 and 18, to provide clearance spaces between the angular edges of adjacent operating faces on these wipers which are of the same widthfassthe thickness of the auxiliary wipers, and the auxiliary wipers are cut away as indicated at 90 in Figs. 4 and 13 so that their operating ends slide under the overhanging upper portions of the main end wipers. Hence, the operating ends of all of the end 'Wipers are firmly supported against heightwise movement by the cover plate 66. Furthermore, when these wipers are fully advanced, see Fig. 18, their lower end faces form a substantially continuous operating surface which extends entirely around the curved heel end of the shoe. Preferably, and as illustrated in Fig. 13, the inner ends of these end wipers are rounded oft" slightly as indicated by the reference character 92, to facilitate the bending of the upper materials inwardly over the bottom of the shoe as these wipers are advanced.

Referring to Fig. 3, which is a plan view of the head of the machine with the cover plate 66 broken away, there are six side wipers 34, 34 on each side of the head of the machine, five of these wipers being fitted between the sides of a recess 96 formed in the supporting member '70 and held in place by the cover plate 66, while the sixth wiper is slidably supported by means of a guideway 98 formed in a block 100 which is secured to the front edge of the cover plate, Figs. 2 and 11, Each of the tive wipers that are received Within a recess 96 is of generally rectangular shape, as viewed from above, Fig. 3, and has a beveled-off inner end 110, Fig. 5. On its lower side, the cover plate 66 is cut away to provide angularly disposed sloping surfaces 112, Figs. 5 and 14, which provide clearance spaces above the three side wipers in the recess 96 on each side of the machine which are nearest to the front of the machine, i. e., nearest to the lower portion of Fig. 3.

At their outer ends, the side wipers are rounded off as indicated at 114 in Fig. 5. Accordingly, when these wipers have been advanced to positions in which their rounded ends 114 are beneath the angular surface 112 on the cover plate, they are free to be swung upwardly within the aforementioned clearance space, the two rearmost wipers on each side of the machine, however, being constrained against such upward swinging movement by the at lower surface of the cover plate. For yieldingly resisting such upward swinging movement of the wipers which are located beneath a sloping surface 112 on the cover plate, leaf springs 116 are secured to the cover plate 66 by screws 118 and have ends that project downwardly through apertures 120 in the cover plate and into engage ment with the wipers, Figs. 5 and 14. Similar leaf;V

springs' 122 are associated with the blocks 100 and are arranged to act on the outermost wipers, Fig. 2, which because of clearance space in the guideways 98 are similarly free to swing upwardly against the resistance of these springs. Clipped over the operating ends of all six of the side wipers on each side of the machine is a flexible metal strip 124 which provides a continuous operating surface for engaging the upper materials of the shoe when the Wipers are moved inwardly. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the outermost wiper on each side of the machine has an angularly disposed outer end so that this ilexible metal strip curves upwardly` in a manner shown in Figs. 4 and 13.

The main end wipers 30, 30 are advanced and the side wipers 34, 34 are moved inwardly to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials of the shoe being lasted inwardly over the bottom of the shoe by means of fluid under pressure in the following manner. Referring particularly to Fig. 4 of the drawings, connected to the outer end of each of the main end wipers, by means of a link 130, is one arm of a bell-crank lever 132 which is pivotally mounted on the head of one ot' the clamping screws 65. The other arm of each of these bell-crank levers carries a roll 134 which bears against the upper end of a piston 136 mounted in a cylinder 138 which is carried on the base plate 60. Coil springs 139, one of which appears in Fig. 4, are arranged to hold the several wipers 30, 30 in their retracted positions, as shown in Fig. 3, with the several operating pistons 136 in engagement with the lower ends of their respective cylinders, as indicated in Fig. 4. Each of the cylinders 138 is connected, by means of a short length of pipe 1.4i), to an arcuately shaped manifold 142, which, in turn, is connected at its opposite ends to the iiuid-pressiirc-operating system of the machine by means of pipes 144, 146, Figs. l, 2l, 22 and 23. The six side wipers on each side of the machine are connected, by means of a trunnion pin 150, Fig. 11, and links 152 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 154 which is pivotally mounted on the head of a clamp screw 65, see Figs. 2 and 5. The other arm of each of these two bell-crank levers carries a roll 156 which bears against the upper end of a piston 158. These two pistons are each fitted in a cylinder 160, supported on the base plate 60, Fig. 5, and coil springs 159 are provided for holding the side wipers in the retracted positions in which they are shown in Fig. 3 and with the pistons 158 in engagement with the lower ends of their respective cylinders, as indicated in Fig. 5. Each of the cylinders 160 is connected to the manifold 142 by means of a short length of pipe 162. As will be apparent, when uid under pressure is admitted to the pipe 144 and manifold 142, and at the same time discharge of pressure uid through the pipe 146 is cut oif, the several main end wipers 30, 30 will be advanced by the pistons 136 from'theV position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Figs. 17 and 18 and the side wipers 34, 34 on each side of the machine will be moved inwardly. As already explained, the extent of advancing movement of the wipers 30, 30 is limited by the stop shoulders 84 thereon. For similarly limiting the extent of inward movement of the side wipers 34, 34, each of the two bell-crank levers 154 is provided with a stop abutment 164 which is adapted to come in contact with the upper side of the intermediate platform 64, Fig. 5.

Referring now to the auxiliary end wipers 32, 32, each of these wipers is connected at its outer end, by means of a link 170, to one arm of a bell-crank lever 172, which is pivotally mounted in the same manner as the bell-crank levers 132, the other arm of which carries a roll 174 that bears on the upper end of a piston 176, see Fig. 3, tted in a cylinder 178, this arrangement being similar to that of the pistons 136 and cylinders 138 for operating the main end wipers. Each of the cylinders 178 is connected by means of a short length of pipe 181i, Fig. 1, to a second manifold 182, Figs. 4, 21-23, which in turn is connected at its opposite ends to the fluid-pressure-operating systern by means of pipes 184, 186. When liuid under pressure is admitted to the manifold 182 through the pipe 184, and at the same time discharge from this manifold through the pipe 186 is cut olf, the auxiliary end wipers 32, 32 will be advanced to the positions shown in Fig. 18, as determined by the engagement of stop shoulders on these wipers, which are not shown but which correspond to the stop shoulders 84 on the wipers 30, 30, with the supporting member 70. Conversely, when pressure fluid is exhausted from this manifold, these wipers will be retracted to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and l'7 by means of coil springs 179, Fig. 3, associated with the bell-crank levers 172. As will be explained in detail below, the auxiliary end wipers are not advanced until after the main end wipers have been advanced and the side wipers moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe being lasted.

During the operation of the wipers, the shoe being lasted is supported and held with its bottom surface in clamping engagement with the shoe rest Sti by means of the shoe support 44. This shoe support includes a platform 266, on which the toe rest 48 is mounted for adjustment lengthwise and laterally of a shoe S being lasted, herein illustrated as comprising an upper U assembled on a last L together with an insole l, and on which the spindle 46 is supported for transverse sliding movements. The platform 20G, in turn, is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on suitable guideways formed on a plate 262, inward movement of this platform being limited by a suitable stop member 265, Figs. 4 and 13, which is secured to the upper end of a piston rod 284. At its lower end, this piston rod carries a piston 206 which is fitted within a cylinder 268 secured to and extending downwardly from the base plate 6i), Fig. 4. Connected to this cylinder, beneath the piston 206 therein, are two pipes 210 and 212 which are associated with the fluid-pressure-operating systemof the machine. As will appear below, operating fluid under a relatively low pressure is first admitted to the cylinder 208 through the pipe 218 for elevating the shoe support to bring the bottom of a shoe thereon into engagement with the shoe rest 5@ and to support the shoe yieldingly during the operation of the several wipers. Thereafter, operating iluid under a considerably higher pressure is admitted to this cylinder through the pipe V212 for moving the shoe upwardly to cause the wipers to press the overlasted margin of the upper materials more firmly against the bottom of the shoe. Prior to the operation of the machine, the cylinder 208 is connected to exhaust so that the shoe support 44 and piston 266 are returned by gravity to their lowermost position as deter- -mined by a stop plate 214 through which the piston rod 284 projects, see Figs. 4 and 13.

The shoe rest 50 is supported on the cover plate 66 for swinging movement from the inoperative position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 to the operative position in which it is shown in Figs. 6, 7, 13 and 14, in the following manner. This shoe rest is formed integrally with and projects from a plate-like supporting member 22d which has a cylindrical stem 222, Figs. 6, 7, 9, l0, 13 and 14. This stern is slidably received within a bore 224 formed in a carrier member 226 and in a tubular extension 228 of this member. A coil spring 230, stretched between pins 232, 235 on the carrier member 226 and plate-like member 224) respectively, tends to Vhold these parts in the relative positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The carrier member is pivotally mounted on a bracket 236, supported on the cover plate 66, and a torsion spring 238, Fig. 13, is arranged to hold the carrier member in the position in which it is shown in Fig. l and as determined by a stop abutment 248i, Fig. 13. Secured to the upper side of the cover plate 66 are two guide blocks 242, 242 which are adapted to engage the outer surfaces of two flanges 244, 244, formed on the carrier member 226, Vwhen the carrier member is swung in a clockwise direction from the position inV Fig.V 1 to the position in Figs. 6 and 14 of the drawings.V Pivotally mounted onjthe front ends of the supporting member 7i) are two latches 248, 248, Fig. 2, which are adapted to be opened against the resistance of latch springs 250, 250 by the action of the flanges 244, 244 on camming surfaces 252, 252 formed on the latches and then to close over forwardly extending portions on these lianges to hold the carrier member in the position shown in Figs. 6, 13 and 14 against the action of the spring 238, with the shoe rest in its operative position. AV screw 254, threaded through a block 256, se-

cured in the upper end of the bore 224, is provided for accurately adjusting the heightwise position of the lower operating surface of the shoe rest 50 relatively to the operating surfaces of the several wipers, in a manner which will be apparent. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the operating surface of the shoe rest is provided with two pointed pins 258, 260, Fig. 7, for penetrating the shoe bottom to assist in holding the shoe in place during the lasting operation. As will presently appear, the shoe rest Si) is permitted to remain in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1, while the shoe to be lasted is placed on the shoe rest and initially positioned in the machine. Thereafter the shoe rest is swung down to and latched in its operative position prior to the operation of the shoe support 44 to urge the shoe int'o clamping engagement with the shoe rest.

The several retarder lingers 36, .38 and 40, referred to above, are pivotally mounted on the plate-like member 226 and are moved to and from their operative positions together with the shoe rest 5t). Referring especially to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings, secured to the platelike member 220 by means of clamp nuts 270 are a plurality of bracket members 272 which are bifurcated and carry shafts 274 on which the retarder lingers are pivotally supported. The three fingers 36, 36, 36 which cooperate with certain of the main end wipers 30, and also the t'wo retarder fingers 38, 38 which cooperate with the two side wipers 34, 34 which are nearest to the heel end of the shoe being lasted, are radially disposed, relatively to the locating pin 258, Fig. 8, and hence are arranged to swing in planes substantially parallel to the paths of movement of the wipers with which they cooperate. The two retarder fingers 40, 40 lwhich are adjacent to the lingers 38, 38, except for a slight misalinement required for clearance purposes, are similarly disposed for swinging movement in planes substantially parallel to the paths of their associated side wipers. However, the other two retarder lingers 4i), 4t) are definitely positioned, by the angularity of their supporting brackets 272, so as to swing in planes which are oblique to the paths of movement of their associated side wipers, for a purpose which will presently appear. The angularity of these two supporting brackets is shown in Fig. 8. However, in order to simplify the disclosure in Figs. 6 and 7 the angularity of these brackets and retarders has been omitted, it being understood that these brackets and refarders are actually disposed as shown in Fig. 8. Connected to each of these retarder iingers is an operating rod 280 and these rods extend through clearance holes 282 in the carrier member 226 and through clearance slots 284 formed in an operating plate 286, Fig. 9. This operating plate is provided with a hub portion 288 which is slidably supported on the tubular extension 228 of the carrier member 226 and pivotally mounted on this hub portion, by means of pins 296, 2%, are two links 292, 292, Figs. 6 and 7. These two links are joined together by means of a cross shaft 294 on which there are pivotally mounted a pair of levers 296, 296 which are joined at their upper ends by a handle 298 and pivotally supported at their lower ends on the tubular extension 228 of the carrier member 226 by means of pivot pins 380, 300, Fig. 6. Interposed between shoulders 302 on the lower ends of the rods 280 and bushings 304, which engage the lower side of the operating plate 286, and surrounding these rods are relatively light compression springs 306, Figs. 6 and 7. Surrounding the upper ends of these rods, interposed between thrust washers 310 and adjusting nuts 312 are relatively heavy compressionsprings 314. f

When the levers 296, 296 and the operating plate `286 are in the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7, see also Fig. 1, the several retarder fingers 36, 38 and 40 will be swung about their pivotal supports to their inoperative positions, as shown in Figs. 6-10, by the action of the springs 306. However, after the carrier member 226 has been swung downwardly and latched in its operative position, see Fig. 13, the levers 296, 296 may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 7, by means of the handle 298 and, as a result of such rotation of these levers, the operating plate 286 will be elevated, the links 292, 292 and these levers acting like a straightened toggle to hold this plate in its elevated position. Now, the springs 314 become effective to cause the retarder fingers to swing, downwa'rdly and outwardly, toward the marginal edge of the bottom of the shoe to their operative positions, see fingers '40, 40 in Fig. 14. Subsequently, when the wipers are operated, these ngers will be swung in a reverse direction, inwardly and upwardly, against the resistance of springs 314, by the pressure applied thereagainst by the wipers acting through the lasting margin'of the upper U of the shoe and, in this manner, the wipers are also caused to apply a pull on the lasting margin tending to tension the upper in a direction heightwise of the last.

In addition to their retarding action which has just been explained, the fingers 36, 38 and 40 also function as insole holddowns for holding the marginal edge of the insole of the shoe against the bottom face of the last thereby to prevent distortion or displacement of the insole during the operation of the wipers. In order to facilitate such holddown action and to accommodate variations in the thickness of the insole and/or in the contour of the bottom of the last, the retarder lingers 36 and 40 are of a special construction. Referring to Fig. 9, each of the retarder fingers 36 includes a main body portion 320 which is provided with a curved end 322 and a serrated operating surface 324 (Fig. 8) adjacent to this curved end. This body portion is slotted at 325 to slidably receive a shoe-bottom-engaging member 326 which is supported on pins 328 which extend thrrough slots 330 therein and provided with a curved end 329. A leaf spring 332 bears against one end of the member 326 andnormally urges it yieldingly to the position shown in Fig. 9. Thus, as each of these fingers is swung to its operative position, the shoe-bottom-engaging members 326, after they come into engagement with the bottom of the shoe, may yield upwardly as much as is required whiel exerting a force tending to hold the insole down on the bottom of the last.

As is shown in Fig. 8, the serrated operating surfaces of the retarder fingers 40, 40 are of considerably greater width than the corresponding surfaces of the fingers 36, 36, thereby increasing the pull applied on the lasting margin of the upper during the inward movement of the `side Wipers which cooperate with these fingers. In order further to increase the pulling action of these particular wipers, which operate, respectively, adjacent to the breast line and ball portions of the shoe, there is associated with each of the retarder fingers 40, 40 a member 340 for engaging the outer side of the lasting margin of the upper. These pressing members are pivotally mounted on the shafts 274 which support the retarder fingers 40 and are normally held in the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7 by means of springs 342 and stop pins 344. Referring to Fig. 14, when the retarder ngers are moved to their operative positions, in the manner just explained, the lasting margin of the upper is, in effect, gripped between the inner surfaces of the members 340 and the serrated operating surfaces 324 of the retarder fingers 40. Hence, when the side wipers 34, which cooperate with these retarder fingers, are moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, the members 340 are engaged by the wipers and, together with the retarder ngers, are swung inwardly and upwardly, in the manner illustrated in Figs. `L and, 16, because of the relationship between the axes of the shafts 274 and the operating surfaces of theretarder fingers and of the members 340. Accordingly, the lasting margin of the upper is eventually withdrawn from between these surfaces and, as this occurs, a ver`y substantial pull is applied to the upper. In the case of the retarder fingers 40, 40 which are located farthest away from the heel end of the shoe, this pull is directed somewhat obliquely to the marginal edge of the shoe bottom so that it has a component lengthwise of the shoe toward the toe end which tends to draw the upper snugly about the heel end of the last.

The heel band 42 is formed of a piece of relatively thick leather or other suitable material and is so shaped as to embrace the heel end and opposite sides of the shank portion of a shoe, see Figs. 2, 3, 4, 13 and 14. At its inner end, the heel band is secured to a plunger 350 which is slidable in a bore 352 formed in the supporting member '70, Figs. 4 and 13. Secured to the outer ends of the heel band are two rods 354 each of which is received in a Slot 356 formed in an ear extending from a block 358 and held in place therein by a keeper latch 360, see Fig. 12. A coil spring 362 surrounds the end of each of these rods and is interposed between a thrust washer 364 and an adjusting nut 366 threaded on the end of each rod. Each of the blocks 358 is fastened to the upper end of the laterally offset portion 368 of an arm 370, Figs. 2 and 3. These two arms are secured to a shaft 372, journaled in brackets 374 mounted on the front of the base plate 60, and the right-hand arm, Fig. 2, is formed integrally with an offset operating handle 376. Connected to the upper ends of the arms 370 are links 378 which extend rearwardly of the machine and at their inner ends are connected to an arcuately shaped operating member 380 and also to the arms of two bell-crank levers 382, Fig. 3. Midway between its ends, the operating member 380 is pivotally connected to the plunger 350, Figs. 4 and 13. The other arms of the two bell-crank levers 382 are connected to two plungers 384 which are slidably mounted in bores formed in the supporting member 70 and provided with rectangularly shaped heads 386, one of which appears in Figs. 4 and 14. The heel band 42 is provided on its oposite sides with upper and lower sets of protuberances 388, 390, Fig. 14. The heads 386 of the plungers 384 are in alinement with the rearmost of the upper sets of protuberances. Hence, when the operating handle 376 is swung downwardly, against the resistance of a return spring 392, Fig. 11, i. e., in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 4 and 13, the heel band will be moved forwardly of the machine into engagement with the heel end of a shoe on the support 44 and also, by the action of the two plungers 384, will be wrapped around and pressed against the opposite sides of the heel end of the shoe.

Located adjacent to the plungers 384 on each side of the machine are two pistons 400, 400 which are fitted within cylindrical bores 402, 402 formed in the supporting member 70, and directly below the plungers 384 and pistons 400 on each side of the machine are three pistons 404, fitted in cylindrical bores 406, Fig. 5. At their inner ends, the pistons 400 are provided with rectangularly shaped heads 408, in alinement with the proturberances 388, and the pistons 404 have similarly shaped heads 410 in alinement with the lower set of protuberances 390. The outer ends of the cylindrical bores 402 and 406 are closed by plugs 412, Fig. 5, held in place by keeper plates 414, see also Fig. 11. Fluid pressure supply pipes 416, 418 are connected respectively to the cylindrical bores 402, 406 for admitting fluid under pressure thereto to cause the pistons 400, 404 to be moved into engagement v 11 drical bore 432 formed in a block`434 which is mounted on the front of the intermediate platform 64, Fig. 11. These twocylindrical bores are connected to branches of the pipes 418, Figs.y 21-23 so that when fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinders 402 to operate the pistons 400, it is also admitted to the cylindrical bores 432 to operate the pistons 430. As will be explained below, Ithe pistons 404 are operated to press the lower portionof the heel band 42 firmly against the top part of the upper U immediately before the wipers 30, 34, 34 are moved inwardly to wipe Ythe lasting margin of the upper over the bottom of the shoe. Thereafter, just before the auxiliary wipers 32 are moved inwardly, the pistons 400 are operated to press the upper portion of the heel band against the lower part of the upper, adjacent to the bottom of the last, and the pistons 430 are operated to tighten the band around the heel end of the shoe.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2l-23 of the drawings, the fluid-pressure system for operating the severai tiuidactuated pistons, referred to above, includes a pump 450 which is driven by means of a motor 452, see also Fig. l. This pump draws uid, such as oil, from a sump 454 located in the lower part of the frame construction 54, through an intake pipe 456 and delivers it to a main pressure-regulating or relief valve 458 of conventional construction through a pipe 459. Connected to this relief valve by means of pipes 460, 462 are two main control valves 464, 466 having valve plungers 46S, 470 which are interconnected by means of a rod 472. Leading from `the valve 464 is a pressure supply pipe 474 having two branches, one connected to the inlet of a pressure-reducing valve 476, herein illustrated as being of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,l84,670,-issued on December 26, i939, in the name of F. T. Harrington, and the other to a secondary control valve 478, and an exhaust pipe 480. While reference may be made to the mentioned Harrington patent for a complete description of the construction and operation of the pressure-reducing valve, it may be pointed out that this valve includes an operating piston 473 which carries a control valve 475, a pilot relief valve 477,V a restriction pin 479 and a balance chamber 481, see Fig. 25. The pipe 210, referred to above, is connected to the outlet of the pressure-reducing valve 476 and, as already explained, leads to the cylinder 203 beneath the piston 206 therein. Leading from the valve 466 is a pressure supply pipe 482 which is connected to a secondary pressure-regulating or relief valve 484 and an exhaust pipe 486. A pipe 48S, having a branch 490, extends between the outlet of the valve 484 and the upper portion of the cylinder 208, above the piston 206 therein. The secondary control valve 47S is provided with a plunger 492 and extending from this valve is a supply pipe 494 and an exhaust pipe 496. The pipe 494 opens into the pipe 416, previously described as leading to the. cylindrical bores 406 in which the pistons 404 are received, and is connected to the inlet of a sequence valve 4%, herein illustrated as being of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,200,824, issude May 14, 1940 in the name of K. R. Herman. In addition to the valve spool 497, which operates in the manner explained in the Herman patent, this sequence valve and the two others mentioned below, are each provided with a free flow return check valve 499, see Fig. 24. Extending between the outlet of the sequence valve 49S and the inlet of a second sequence valve 500 of similar construction is a pipe 502 which opens into the pipe 144 which, as already explained, leads to one end of a manifold 142. Leading from the outlet of the sequence valve 560 to the inlet of a third sequence valve 504, also of similar construction, is a pipe 506 which is in communication with the pipe 418, previously described as leading to the cylindrical bores 402 in which the pistons 400 are located and also to the cylindrical bores 432 in which the pistons are fitted. Connected v to the outlet side of the Yvalve 504 is the pipe 212, previously referred to, in which there .is interposed a check valve 508 of conventional construction which is arranged to open in the direction of the arrow. As already explained, the pipe 184 which leads to one end of the manifold 182 is connected to the pipe 212. The pipes 146,186, which are connected to the other ends of these two manifolds, lead to an exhaust control valve 510 in which there is a valve plunger 512. This valve plunger is connected to an operating piston 514, by means of a link 516, and is normally urged to left from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2l, by means of a coil spring 518. This operating piston is fitted in a cylinder 520 which is connected to the branch 490 of the pipe 488.

When the plungers 46S, 470 of the main control valves 464, 466 are in the positions shown in Fig. 21, the flow of pressure fluid in the pipe 460 is blocked by the plunger 463 while the pipe 474 is connected to exhaust through the pipe 480. At the same time, pressure fluid is delivered to the pipe 462 and through valve 466 and the relief valve 434 to the pipe 438. Thus, uid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder 208 above the piston 206 which is forced downwardly, operating uid beneath the piston exhausting through the pipe 210, valve 476, pipe 474, valve 464 and exhaust pipe 480. Also, fluid under pressure in the branch 490 of the pipe 488, acting on the piston 514, urges the valve plunger 512 of the valve 510 to the position shown in Fig. 21 so that the pipes 146, 136 are connected to exhaust pipes 522, 524 associated with the valve 510. Accordingly, the cylinders 138, 160, 17S, will all be connected to exhaust, the wipers 30, 32, 34 will be retracted by their return springs 139, 159 and 179, and since the cylinders 402, 406 and 432 are connected to exhaust through valves 500, 498 and 478, the heel band operating pistons 400, 404, 430 will be retracted by return springs 420, 422 and 392. This is the so-called idle position of the machine.

The first stage in the operating cycle of the machine is initiated by movement of the valve plungers 463, 470 of the main control valves 464, 466 to the positions shown in Fig. 22 of the drawings. Now, the ow of pressure iiuid through the pipe 462 is shut off by the valve plunger 470 and the pipe 488 and its branch 490 are connected to exhaust through relief valve 484, pipe 482 and exhaust pipe 486. Also, the valve plunger S12 of the valve 510 is shifted over to the left by the spring 518 thus shutting off exhaust from the two manifolds 142, 182. The valve plunger 468 of the valve 464 shuts oi the exhaust pipe 480 and connects the pipes 460 and 474 so that operating fluid under the pressure determined by the relief valve 458, for example 350 pounds per square inch, enters the inlet side of the pressure-reducing valve 476. This valve is preferably set to reduce the pressure of the operating Huid which is delivered from its outlet to the pipe 210 to a considerably lower value, for example 50 pounds per square inch, and this operating fluid, being prevented from flowing through the pipe 212 by the check valve 50S, enters the cylinder 208 below the piston 206. Assuming that a shoe has been placed on the support 44, the resulting upward'movement of the lpiston 206 will urge the shoe into engagement with the shoe rest 50, see Fig. 14, and hold it yieldingly thereagainst under a relatively light force provided by the low pressure of the operating fluid in the pipe 210. As will presently appear, klatch means are` provided for holding the valve plungers 46S, 470 inthe positions to which they have just been moved by operating mechanism including a foot treadle 530. The next and final stage in theopcrating cycle of the machine is initiated by movement of the valve plunger 492 of the valve 47,8 to the position-shown in Fig. 23 of the drawings, such movement being effected by operating mechanism about to kbe described and including afoot treadle 532.

machine, .the following actionsoccur in the order in which 

